Navjot Singh Sidhu's unbeaten 104 that lit up Chandigarh in 1990
Cricket is a sport steeped in statistics, but occasionally, a milestone emerges that leaves a lasting impression. For India in the Asia Cup, that defining moment occurred on Christmas Day in 1990, when Navjot Singh Sidhu became the first Indian batter to score a century in the tournament's history. The venue was the Sector 16 Stadium in Chandigarh, the opposition was Bangladesh, and the innings marked the start of a proud tradition of Indian batting excellence in Asia Cup folklore.
In 41 years of Asia Cup history, 13 Indian batters have scored centuries across formats, from Sunil Gavaskar’s era to Virat Kohli’s modern-day brilliance. Kohli remains unique as the only man to have hit hundreds in both ODI and T20 Asia Cups. Yet it was Sidhu, with his crisp strokeplay and fearless approach, who set the trend in 1990.
Before his innings, India had played one edition of the Asia Cup (1984) without a three-figure score. Sidhu changed that story in style, scoring an impressive 104 not out from 109 balls, with 10 boundaries and 3 sixes. His innings was not just about runs—it was about timing, intent, and establishing a standard that India could dominate this continental stage with the bat.
Bangladesh, still finding its footing in international cricket, managed a modest 170 for 6 in 50 overs. Faruque Ahmed’s painstaking 57 and Athar Ali Khan’s 44 lent them respectability, but India’s bowling attack—led by Kapil Dev (2 for 17) and Venkatapathy Raju (2 for 27)—never really allowed the hosts to break free.
The chase was a straightforward affair. Sidhu, opening with Woorkeri Raman, built a stand of 121 runs for the first wicket. Raman played the anchor role with 44 from 101 balls, while Sidhu attacked the Bangladesh bowling with freedom.
His strike-rate of 95.41 was exceptional for the era, especially given the relatively slow scoring rates of the early 1990s. India cruised to victory in just 36.5 overs, winning by nine wickets with 79 deliveries to spare.
Sidhu’s innings was more than a statistical footnote. It came at a time when Indian cricket was in transition—Kapil Dev nearing the end of his peak, a young Sachin Tendulkar still settling into international cricket, and India searching for consistency in limited-overs formats. Sidhu’s hundred instilled a sense of authority in Indian batting during the Asia Cup, a tone that was later carried forward by players like Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Virender Sehwag, and Kohli.
Credit: Crictracker
Since Sidhu's century, Indian batters have scored many notable runs in Asia Cup history. Tendulkar’s 114 against Bangladesh in 2012 marked his 100th international century. Virat Kohli’s blazing 183 against PAK in 2012 remains the highest individual score in Asia Cup history. Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, and others have contributed to the tally, but the honour of being the first Indian centurion in the Asia Cup belongs solely to Sidhu.
